Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 21 May 2008 are correctly recorded and that they be signed by the Chairman.  There were no matters arising.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 12 March 2008 are already signed and had been included for reference only.

The Board is asked to note that the following dates have been reserved for its meetings in 2009.  All meetings will start at 2.00 pm at County Hall.

Wednesday 11 March 2009 (Child Protection)

Wednesday 20 May 2009 (Looked After Children)

Wednesday 23 September 2009 (Child Protection)

Wednesday 2 December 2009 (Looked After Children)

The Board noted the dates of its future meetings as follows:-

Wednesday, 11 March 2009 (Child Protection)

Wednesday, 20 May 2009 (Looked After Children)

Wednesday, 23 September 2009 (Child Protection)

Wednesday, 2 December 2009 (Looked After Children)

All meetings will start at 2.00 pm at County Hall.

1.         The Chairman welcomed the new Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education Achievement, Leyland Ridings, to his first meeting in his new role.  She also welcomed Sarah Hammond, new Policy and Performance Officer for Safeguarding who was observing and Andy Heather, Principal Education Psychologist, who would be attending and reporting to the Board in place of John Mitchell.

2.         She thanked Members of the Board who had attended the very successful meeting with young care leavers on 14 August.  The event had been enjoyed and had a very positive outcome.  Meeting notes were still awaiting comments from young people and would be sent when they were cleared.  The next meeting would be in the October half-term week at Oakwood House, Maidstone and would be preceded by an evening meal.  Marilyn Hodge, Director of Strategy Policy & Performance, had kindly offered to pay to cover the cost of the event.

3.         Later in the meeting it was announced that Kent had scored a good rating in its recent adoption inspection and this news was welcomed by Members.

Report by Director, Strategy, Policy & Performance

(Teresa Gallagher, Team Manager, West Transitions Team, was in attendance for this item)

1.         Ms Gallagher introduced the report and highlighted key facts about trafficking problem, namely:-

(a)       the absence of any quantity of research into the subject, where research started to be done only recently, 2003/04.  Some pilot work was being undertaken in London boroughs, eg., Harrow. 

(b)       the difficulty of defining “Trafficked” as opposed to smuggled or unaccompanied young people.  This difficulty hinders research into the extent of the problem and also the ability to bring cases to court.

(c)        Trafficking is not necessarily into the UK from abroad – young people can also be trafficked within and around the UK. 

2.         In debate, and in response to questions from Members, the following points were highlighted:-

(a)       The UK was still very attracted to young people from abroad who still they can find prosperity here.  Finding relatively low paid work with wages which are exploitative by UK standards still gives them more than they would earn at home and allows them to send some money back to their families at home.  Many, however, become trapped, exploitative and abusive relationships working for those who brought them into the country.

(b)       The (Transition Team) do not send a young person to live with a putative relative in the UK unless and until a detailed kinship assessment has been undertaken.  This will look at the relative’s ability and motivation to care for the young person and check that they have suitable accommodation for them.  Assessment is similar to that undertaken prior to a foster placement.  Members of the team will then attend a supervised visit of the young person to the relative before placing them.

(c)        As trafficking is difficult to detect, Social Services rely on colleagues in other disciplines/professions to help pass on information as well as the public to report suspicious behaviour.  To help with this, however, the public need to be able to identify signs of trafficking before being able to judge what is suspicious.  The public also need a well publicised point of call to report suspicions comparative to the Child-line number.

(d)       The Integrated Process Scheme would help in identifying a child who may be trafficked as databases of information from different disciplines come together.  Schools are a good first source of information (eg., to identify a child who suddenly stops attending and may have been moved on to another part of the UK).  However, some children do not enter the education system at all. 

3.         From discussion, a number of ideas from possible work were put forward:-

(a)       KCC could produce a Pledge for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeker Children and Young People (UASCYP) similar to that produced for Looked After Children;

(b)       A public awareness campaign to raise public knowledge of the issue could also sent the message of traffickers that we are watching them.  School children could be asked to design posters and publicity material for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

Report by Director, Children’s Social Services

(Liz Totman, Head of Specialist Children’s Services was in attendance for this item)

1.         Mrs Totman introduced the report and set out key points of the program and the way it operated.  In discussion and in response to questions the following points were highlighted:-

(a)       Kent had done very well to win Pathfinder status for short-term breaks and was one of only 21 other local authorities to do so.  Kent was well placed to deliver this service and had a good reputation with the DCSF for innovative service delivery, having one more than the basis funding to run the scheme.

(b)       Although there were localised initiatives and good provision around Kent, there was previously not the sufficient co-ordination/dedicated funding to build a project like Aiming High.

(c)        Aiming High will apply to Kent’s own children as well as those placed in Kent by other local authorities.  However, it could only apply to children with single not multiple disabilities.

(d)       The purpose of funding under the Aiming High Scheme was to add value and it could not be used to provide services which should already be provided – eg., to allow disabled children to join in with the school outing.  Members expressed concern that it was not ring-fenced but were advised that services provided under the Aiming High programme could be accessed using Direct Payments.

(e)       The short break service would link to/ make use of sports for disabled children.  Members suggested adding cricket to the sports on offer.

(f)         Members suggested using celebration of the UK’s Olympic and Paralympic success to raise the profile of an advertise the Aiming High programme.

(g)       It was suggested that Aiming High could link to/feed into the work of the ASD Select Committee in relation to the transition phase.

2.         RESOLVED that:-

(a)       information in the report and given in response to questions be noted, with thanks;

(b)       regular future updates reports on the development of the programme be made to the Board, suggested every 6 months; and

(c)        the ideas for suggested future work set out in paragraphs in (e),  (f) and (g) above be developed.